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Latest News

IoD calls for freeze on red tape hindering UK businesses

by Personnel Today 20 Jul 2004
by Personnel Today 20 Jul 2004

Red
tape is still tying down UK businesses with “petty rules and regulations,
incompetence and misplaced assistance” hindering expansion and job creation,
according to the Institute of Directors (IoD).

James
Walsh, head of regulatory affairs at the IoD, called on the Government to
implement a freeze on employment regulation.

A
survey of 45 businesses found cases of unnecessary and costly red tape and
burdensome bureaucracy across all facets of business activity from employment
law, to planning, to health and safety rules.

"Employment
regulations crop up time and again in this red tape dossier,” Walsh said. “The
Government should consider giving business a time-out until at least 2010
before it presses ahead with further extensions of employee rights on issues
such as flexible working, maternity pay and parental leave."

The
IoD highlighted three examples of red tape hindering UK businesses:

 – A Hertfordshire building firm ordered to
install a speed hump within a much-needed housing development by the local
council, and then charged £12,000 for the council to ‘supervise’. Actual cost
of constructing speed hump – £3,000.

 – A Lincolnshire manufacturer forced to
replace equipment to comply with latest EU standards, but told by supplier that
replacement equipment not as good as that which has been replaced.

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 – A West Midlands exporter now has to liaise
with its local Business Link when negotiating overseas contracts. Previously
done directly through British Embassy in the country concerned. Business Link
charges for this service and the extra layer of bureaucracy slows down whole
process.

By Daniel Thomas

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

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